Connector for glass crystals and like members



Oct. 13, 1970 GQMES ET AL 3,533,139

CONNECTOR FOR GLASS CRYSTALS AND LIKE MEMBERS Filed Dec. l9, 1968 INVENTORS ROY A. GOMES JOHANN RQCKL- JMMu/t WM Attorneys United States Patent 3,533,139 CONNECTOR FOR GLASS CRYSTALS AND LIKE MEMBERS Roy A. Gomes, 77 Schmitt Blvd., Farmingdale, N.Y., and Johann Ruck], Philippovichgasse 16/4, Vienna, Austria Filed Dec. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 785,243

Int. Cl. A44b 21/00 U.S. C]. 24-73 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wire-like connector for interconnecting glass crystals, such as are used in chandeliers, wherein each assembled crystal is confined in position on a designated section of the connector to thereby minimize entanglement of adjacent crystals as well as overcoming other disadvantages.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in lighting fixtures and more particularly to improvements in a connector for glass crystals and like members such as are used in chandeliers and similar decorative lighting fixtures.

As generally understood, adjacent glass crystals such as are used in the manufacture of chandeliers are joined in a variety of ways by a variety of wire connectors. One such commonly used wire connector has a head at one end and, in practice, has its opposite end projected through appropriate openings in the crystals and is then appropriately bent or otherwise tied so as to minimize the possibility of inadvertent disassembly of the crystals. While achieving a connecting function, this and similar prior art connectors do not significantly prevent entanglement of adjacent crystals nor is assembly of the crystals to these connectors easy to achieve.

Broadly, it is an object to provide an improved connector for chandelier glass crystals and the like overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a wire connector upon which each glass crystal is easily assembled and then confined in its assembled position such that entanglement with adjacent glass crystals is significantly minimized.

A connector demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention is formed of a bendable, wire-like body including a spaced apart pair of facing sections having a bend or crimp at one end which, due to the sharp angle at the bend, serves as a limit-moving obstruction for the crystal assembled thereon. After assembly, a second crimp or bend is formed in each facing section with the result that each crystal is restricted in movement to movement between the two crimps and, in this manner, entanglement of adjacent crystals is substantially minimized.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustative embodiments in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a connector for crystals or like members wherein two such crystals in successive positions of movement of assembly on the connector are shown in phantom perspective;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the condition of the connector which completes the assembly of the crystals thereon;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view showing a series of interconnected crystals;

c ICC FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating another embodiment of the connector; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view projected from FIG. 4 illustrating further structural features.

Reference is now made to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1-3 wherein there is shown a first embodiment, generally designated 10, of the connector hereof. The primary contemplated use for connector 10 is to connect together adjacent pairs of glass crystals 12a, 12b, such as are used in chandeliers and other decorative lighting fixtures. An exemplary interconnected series of crystals is illustrated in FIG. 3, in which, more particularly, the adjacent pair of crystals 12a, 12b are interconnected by the connector 10 as is also the adjacent pair of crystals 12b, 120. In this typical arrangement of interconnected crystals 12411-120, or, possibly other similar interconnected members, it is important that the clearance space S between adjacent crystals be maintained, and also that the assembly of the crystals on the connectors 10 be readily simple. These and other noteworthy objects are readily achieved by virtue of the construction of the connector 10 hereof, all as will now be described in detail.

Specifically, the connector 10 is formed of a crimped wire-like body including two member-retaining sections 10a operatively arranged in substantially parallel and facing relation to each other at the distance S, which distance will be understood to be just slightly greater than the previously noted clearance space S which it is intended to maintain between the crystals 12a, 12b. More particularly, one end of each member-retaining section 10a is defined by a first crimp 14, which, as clearly illustrated, is a change in the direction or the orientation of each section 10a. The significance of this is that when assembling a crystal, for example crystal 12a, onto the section 10a, movement of the crystal is only possible along the section 10a up to the crimp 14 since the crystal cannot be readily negotiated through the small radius turn defined at the crimp 14.

Between the two crimps 14 there is an intermediate connecting section formed by the two sections 10b and which diverge inwardly towards each other within the space S and thereby provide juncture 16 which is located inwardly of the plane of the crimps 14. The significance of this will soon be apparent. At this point, however, it should be noted that each inwardly diverging section 10b, 10c cooperates with a member-retaining section 10a to subtend an angle A therebetween of approximately sixty degrees and which angle, in practice, has been found to be of an extent which is ordinarily too severe a radius change to be readily negotiated by a crystal 12a which is in assembled position on the member-retaining section 10a.

Competing the construction of the first embodiment of the connector 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 13 are a pair of closure sections 10d which extend from each member-retaining section 10a at an appropriate angle such that at the free ends of the sections 10b there is an opening B bounded therebetween which is of a sufficient extent such that there is adequate clearance to move a crystal 12a, 12b onto each of the closure sections 12d. Once assembled onto a closure section 12d each crystal is moved, as previously noted, onto each of the member-retaining sections 10a up 'to the point of con fined movement provided by the crimp 14. Following this assembly, each closure section 10b is then adapted to be moved from its initial, open position as illustrated in FIG. 1 into its closed position as illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the free ends of each of the sections 10b are moved adjacent to the juncture 16 of the intermediate section 10b, .100. This closing movement of the closure sections 10b has several significant. results. First, it reduces the size of the opening B from that illustrated in FIG. 1 to that illustrated in FIG. 2, which reduced size opening B will be understood to minimize the possibility of inadvertent disassembly of the interconnected crystals 12a, 12b from the connector 10. Second, the closed position of the closure sections d cooperate with each of the member-retaining sections 10a to provide a second crimp 18 at the end of the section remote from the first crimp 14. That is, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2, the new orientation of the closure sections 10d is such that each of these sections cooperates with the memberretaining sections 10a to subtend an angle C therebetween of approximately sixty degrees which, as already noted, is of an extent which is not readily negotiated by a crystal in its assembled position on the memberretaining section 10a. Thus, in the final condition on the member 10 as depicted in FIG. 2, each crystal on a member-retaining section 10a is confined in movement to the limits of the crimps 14 and .18 at opposite ends of each of these section. It should be readily understood that as a result of being able to effectively confine movement of the crystals on the connectors 10 as just described that it is also readily possible to maintain the desired spacing S between adjacent crystals. In this connection, from the foregoing description, it should be readily appreciated that this spacing is a function of the dimension S of the intermediate sections 10a, 10c minus the distance from a crystal edge to the conventional opening 20 which is provided in the crystal and through which opening 20 the closure sections 10d are projected preparatory to assembling the crystals on the connectors 10.

Reference is now made to the second embodiment of the connector illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, in which similar structural features are identified by the same but primed reference numerals. Further, for brevity sake, the description of similar structural features will be omitted and only the significant differences between the two embodiments noted. These significant differences contribute to the ability of the connector 10 to more readily accommodate crystals or other like members of different sizes. Specifically, and as best shown in FIG. 5, connector 10' is more appropriate for connecting together the small crystal 12a and the considerably larger teardrop shaped crystal 12d. To accommodate the different sizes of crystals it is necessary only to make the member-retaining sections 10a of an appropriate size. In this instance, the larger teardrop crystal 12d is then placed on an enlarged member-retaining section 1011'. Naturally, the sections 10c, 10d adjacent the enlarged member-retaining section 10a is similarly enlarged, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 4. Connector 10' is similar in all other significant respects to previously described connector 10.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector having an interposed connecting position between two crystals or like members, said connector being formed of a crimped, wire-like body comprising a pair of member-retaining sections operatively arranged in facing and substantially parallel relation so as to respectively accommodate thereon each said interconnected crystal, one end of each said member-retaining section being delineated by a first crimp in said body effective to confine each said crystal to movement during assembly thereon to the limit of each said first crimp, an intermediate section joining said member-retaining sections and having a medial portion therealong in a projected position between said interconnected crystals, and at the ends of said member-retaining sections remote from said intermediate section a pair of closure sections having a cooperating initial angularly oriented position relative to each other so as to bound an opening therebetween of a sufficient extent to permit the assembly of said crystals thereon and subsequently movable therefrom into an operative closed position with each free end thereof adjacent said medial portion of said connecting section, each said closure section in said closed position thereof cooperating with each said member-retaining section to form a second crimp at the juncture of said sections, whereby each said crystal is confined on each said member-retaining section to movement therealong within the limits of said first and second crimps.

2. A connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second crimps are formed by body sections subtending an angle of less than ninety degrees.

3. A connector as defined in claim 2, wherein each said member-retaining section and its adjacent portion of said intermediate section and said closure section cooperate to bound a substantially triangular opening to accommodate said crystal assembled on said memberretaining section.

4. A connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said member-retaining sections are of different extents to accommodate different sizes of crystals.

5. A connector having an interposed connecting position between two crystals or like members, said connector being formed of a crimped, wire-like body comprising a pair of member-retaining sections operatively arranged in facing and substantially parallel relation so as to respectively accommodate thereon each said interconnected crystal, one end of each said member-retaining section being delineated by a first crimp in said body effective to confine each said crystal to movement during assembly thereon to the limit of each said first crimp, a pair of inwardly diverging sections joining said member-retaining sections terminating in a point having a projected position between said interconnected crystals, and at the ends of said member-retaining sections remote from said intermedite section a pair of closure sections having a cooperating initial angularly oriented position relative to each other so as to bound an opening therebetween of a sufficient extent to permit the assembly of said crystals thereon and subsequently movable therefrom into an operative closed position with each free end thereof adjacent said point of said inwardly diverging sections, each said closure section in said closed position thereof cooperating with each said member retaining section to form a second crimp at the juncture of said sections, whereby each said crystal is confined on each said member-retaining section to movement therealong within the limits of said fist and second crimps.

6. A connector as defined in claim 5, wherein said first and second crimps are formed by body sections subtending an angle of sixty degrees.

7. A connector as defined in claim 6, wherein each said member-retaining section and its adjacent portion of said intermediate section and said closure section cooperate to bound a substantially triangular opening to accommodate said crystal assembled on said member-retaming section.

8. A connector as defined in claim 5, wherein said member-retaining sections are of different extents to accommodate different sizes of crystals.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 364,218 6/1887 Copeland 24-22 1,623,030 3/1927 Bloch 161-32 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,049 1/1925 France.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 24-261; 16132 

